1. Once again Moose Hunting Season is right
around the corner here on the Avalon Peninsula and the guys are pretty stoked
about getting out in the woods. Matthew French and George Andrews both have
licenses, I will be travelling to Ferryland with them for the opening day hunt.
Bassan and Coldwell also have licenses and we'll be travelling to Trepassey
later in the season in search of two more animals to harvest.

2. Like all decent hunters Matthew, Mark and I
made a pre-season run to our favourite hunting area to look for sign of Moose on
the marshes and cutovers. We were not disappointed and looked forward to opening
day.

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6. The night before opening day we finished
preparations to French's Argo and loaded it aboard their new enclosed trailer to
be ready for an early departure the following morning.

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8. Since there was going to be quite a few hands
on deck opening day, I opted to take Project Foreman to free up a seat in the
Argo. This was also convenient for quick mid day scouting to other areas nearby.

9. A productive day usually starts with an early rise!

10. On Saturday morning just as it got light we
spotted two animals on the marsh below. When it was bright enough and legal to
shoot George took a shot at the beautiful cow and it jumped back into the woods.
The bull was also long gone after the report from George's Rifle.

11. After waiting about 10 minutes I slung my
backpack over my shoulders and headed to the marsh to track the potentially
wounded animal. Not seeing any sign of a successful harvest I entered the woods
and heard the Cow cracking branches ahead of me. The animal then crossed the
lower bog where George was waiting and made a successful harvest.

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13. Mark, Harry and I quickly set about cleaning
up the animal and getting it separated into halves. Tags were attached and the
animal loaded half at a time into Mark's Argo for the short ride to Harry's
pickup.

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17. Harry, George and Andrew headed back to town
to get the animal hung, skinned and cooled off while Mark, Matthew and I
returned to hunting, hoping fill Matthew's tags as well.

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24. Midday we broke out our lunch gear and had an
awesome cook up on top of the hill where I harvested an animal the previous
hunting season.

25. On the menu was moose, onions, mushrooms and
seasonings I pre-cut and bagged the previous evening. I started the feast on my
MSR gas stove, and finished it on the wood burning Kelly Kettle Hobo stove after
the kettle boiled.

26. Meanwhile Mark fired up his MSR multi-fuel
stove and fried up bologna and beans to accompany my Moose concoction.

27. After an early rise and very busy morning a
hot lunch was a welcome treat, especially under beautiful sunny skies.

28. After lunch we continued to hunt a number of
our favourite honey holes without success.

29. As day turned to night we loaded up and
headed for home, stopping at the supermarket in Cape Broyle for one the BEST
store made sub sandwiches you can buy.

30. Sunday I had previous commitments at the Rod
and Gun Club and later in the day Sandra served up a truly epic Thanksgiving
Diner with all the trimmings. It was absolutely amazing!

31. Monday morning we arrived to our hunting area
early. I hopped out at the beginning of the pole line while Mark and Matthew
drove further in the road. Unfortunately while crossing the path into the pole
line the noise of the Argo spooked two beautiful animals leaving Matthew no time
to take a shot. We tried calling and driving the woods but the animals were long
gone.

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33. Matthew insisted that Mark's yoga pose be
included in the story!

34. Matthew had a previous commitment Monday
evening so we loaded up and headed back to town around 2pm.

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38. Meanwhile on Monday Troy and his little fella
Duncan were in Aquaforte scouting out Moose hunting areas. While walking up a
narrow path Troy made a couple Bull grunts and the woods came alive! 10m away
this monster Bull came out curiously looking for a fight. Detecting no threat he
continued on his way back into the woods in search of a Mate or Fight.

39.

40. The following weekend we were only able to
hunt Saturday evening as Matthew had family commitments, then work commitments
on Sunday. The boys went one way and I decided to Scout the other direction to
see what animals were on the move since heavy rains Friday night. Mark and
Matthew managed to call out a nice Bull Moose right to the pole line, but the
wise old bugger would show nothing other than his nose, never presenting any
type of safe reasonable shot.

41. The next weekend we hit the road early once
again and headed back to Ferryland. Going in the road we split up similar to a
couple weeks ago but this time the boys would walk in the path to the pole line.
This time there were no moose visible on the marsh at daybreak, however I heard
one moving around in a cutover about 50 yards away. I went into the woods to
drive the animal out but the wise old bugger zigzagged and went in circles
before finally going MIA.

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44. Mid morning we moved to a vantage point in
another area where I harvested my Moose last year. Matthew and I walked in while
Mark went back to retrieve the Argo. After 20-30 minutes glassing the area we
spotted a monster bull moose walk out of the woods (red circle above). We
estimated it to be about 600 yards away, Matthew didn't feel confident to make
such a long shot and risk merely wounding the animal.

45. When Mark arrived he argued that he could
have made the shot, and just before we left to grab lunch supplies from the
truck he sighted in Matthew's rifle on the large dead tree across the marsh
right next to where the Moose walked out.

46. Mark dropped off Matthew and I at another
dandy honey hole to check out while he ran back to the truck to grab my Action
Packer full of lunch supplies. We scouted the area but didn't see any recent
sign of animals on the move.

47. When Mark got back I started cooking lunch
boiling my Kelly Kettle while starting my now famous Moose concoction on my MSR
superfly gas stove. Meanwhile Mark and Matthew got a fire going to dry out our
clothes dampened by the very wet woods that morning.

48. When the kettle boiled and coffee poured, I
transferred my pan to the Hobo stove attachment for my Kelly Kettle. I measured
the necessary amount of water needed for my rice concoction and set it to boil
in my new Sea to Summit 1.4L colapsabile X-pot purchased on my recent trip to
Edmonton. This pot is awesome, its light weight and very compact for travel and
works on any gas stove (not recommended for open flame).

49. Lunch consisted of my fried Moose, onion,
fresh mushroom seasoned with my own list of gear, and white minute rice seasoned
with a pack of onion soup mix. It was another pretty quick and awesome hot meal
in the woods.

50. Like any good steward of the outdoors we left
no garbage behind at all and made sure our campfire was out before getting back
to hunting.

51. That afternoon we decided to head back up the
hill where we saw the monster bull Moose mid morning. Mark would stay on the
vantage point while Matthew and I would head in an ATV trail which would loop
all the way out to the farthest marsh and back again.

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53. Matthew checking out a track from this mornings
monster bull sighting!

54. On our way back we stopped to check out the
tree Mark fired at earlier that morning, and I'll be dammed but the bugger
managed to hit it. We marked both points on GPS and it measured 507m or
approximately 554 yards! Bullet drop for Matthews 7mm Hornady Ammo
was listed at 34.5" which was about right.

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57. On our way back to the truck Mark wanted to
give the Argo a good run in the pond. Weather conditions were ideal, Matthew
Chickened out while Mark and I cruised up the pond at a steady 3.5 to 3.8kp/h.